Mexico outreach
In Mexico, the Udall Center has directed its efforts toward identifying key
players and meeting with them and other interested parties on the Mexican
side of the basin. These have included federal, state, and municipal officials;
business leaders; local farmers and ranchers; researchers; local environmental
and community activists; and other citizens. Water management issues on the
Mexican side of the basin range from concerns about the implications of a
proposed riparian preserve on ranchers and farmers who live along the river
to issues regarding water pollution from the Cananea copper mine and smelter,
and problems with water delivery in the city of Cananea.
Social assessment
During fall 2000, the Udall Center, working with community leaders in Naco
and Cananea, undertook a social assessment of water issues and water policy
in the Mexican portion of the San Pedro Basin. Residents of the basin were
interviewed to determine their perspectives on water-management and water-policy
issues, trends, and visions for the future.
Informal Interviews
During the fall and winter 1999-2000, Udall Center staff interviewed elected
officials, environmental activitists, and other community leaders in the municipalities
of Naco and Cananea, and in ejidos in the San Pedro River Basin, to
identify issues and concerns related to water resources in the basin. Those
interviewed identified a number of issues and concerns about water quality,
water availability, conservation and the proposed San Pedro natural protected
area, access to water information, and relationships with U.S. water interests.
Participants also raised issues of air pollution and land tenure. Their comments
are listed below:
Water quality
Water availability
Conservation and nature reserves
Access to information
Relationships with U.S. water interests
Air pollution
Land tenure
Water quality:
- Contaminated water from industrial infiltration is a problem.
- The mine is contaminating both the Rio Sonora and Rio San Pedro. This is affecting the farmers. The mine is attempting to correct this problem.
- Copper is affecting the water supplies for Ejido Morelos and Ejido Zapata.
- There is arsenic in the water wells that serve Cananea.
- Mineral discharge goes into the wells connected to the Sonoran River and affects all the towns and Hermosillo.
- Ejido San Pedro has the additional problem of sewage flowing straight
into the river.
- Land affected by water contamination looks white. Cattle are being affected by mining wastes and raw sewage in the water.
- The Naco constructed wetlands are no longer running efficiently.
Water availability:
- Overexploitation of the underground water reserves is a problem.
- Water levels are dropping in the underground aquifer because the mining industry is overpumping.
- The current drought has also affected water levels.
- In the 1970s and 1980s the San Pedro still had water, and there was recreational
use.
- No one really knows how much water the mine is pumping.
- There needs to be some sort of effort on the part of the mine to control its water usage.
- Would like to see the mine use more industrial and recycled water.
- The mine continues to pump water regardless of the law. Springs are dry as a result.
- Ejido San Pedro is suffering from reduced flows in the San Pedro River. People are upset because this affects their agricultural areas.
- Water supply in Cananea is a big concern. Some areas, such as Barrio Mesa
Azul, are constantly without water. The current water-supply infrastructure
in Cananea needs to be improved.
- Need to promote water conservation efforts in the community.
Conservation and the proposed San Pedro natural protected area:
- Ideally, the San Pedro River would carry water and have plant life—something
like the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in the United States.
- Forty years ago, walking, swimming, and fishing were popular activities.
The Rio San Pedro flowed and the water was not contaminated.
- People need explanations of what, exactly, natural protected areas are
and how they affect the ecosystem.
- Need more information on the preserve efforts and potential benefits to local communities.
- If the San Pedro is declared a national protected area, what type of alternative
income sources will be available for the ejidatarios?
- Since the Marquita and Elenita mountain ranges feed the San Pedro River, they should also be included in the effort to declare additional protected natural areas.
- If Mexico creates a national protected area along the San Pedro, how will the benefits be balanced between the United States and Mexico?
- Ejidos and ranchers are concerned with land security. They want to see concrete and realistic actions taking place and funding for those actions.
- What are ejidatarios' alternatives to farming? Ejidatarios and farmers
who are directly affected need to be given very specific alternatives.
- The ejidos need economic alternatives. Some planning for water allocation for the ejidos is needed. Maybe introduce diversification of crops, like Christmas trees.
- Cattle ranchers and ejidatarios are not going to be supportive of a preserve.
- People are not going to be opposed if there are alternative means for economic support for the farmers.
- Before the San Pedro is declared a reserve, the mine needs to realize that it is affecting the river. The mine needs to begin to use recycled water. Terminating agriculture is not the solution to the problems of the San Pedro River basin.
- Need to protect recharge areas.
- Rapid deforestation is also a problem. Need reforestation.
- Vegetation also needs to be protected.
- Land erosion is a problem.
Access to information:
- Would like to open up dialogue between ejiditarios and resource managers.
- It is very difficult to get accurate information on the quality of water in Mexico.
Relationships with United States water interests:
- Would like to see more environmental cooperation and equal distribution
of benefits between the United States and Mexico.
- There is some suspicion in Cananea that outside groups from the U.S. coming
to Cananea to talk about water are working exclusively towards their own
interests.
- U.S. residents want to control water consumption in Mexico to ensure there
is enough water for the City of Sierra Vista to keep growing.
Air pollution:
- Major problems in Cananea area are air and water contamination and deforestation
by the mining company. Contaminated dust and water goes directly toward
homes. The north-to-south wind carries dust that burns crops. The Maria
Mine is also contaminating the city.
- Both Ejido Morelos and Ejido Zapata complain of fine dust from the mine burning their crops.
- Air contamination from open-pit mining at Mina Maria is also a problem.
- Burning tires and plastics in landfills in Cananea and Naco is a problem.
- There is much more contamination now because of new acid-based mining in the area. It produces bad odors and gases.
Land tenure:
- Many ejidatarios have sold their land rights.
- At Ejido San Pedro there are only about 50-70 ejidatarios left. Many are selling their lands.
- Article 27 is really affecting the ejidos in the area. Rich owners come and fence areas with water. The ejidatarios are left without water and are being forced to sell their land cheaply. Ejido Morales was destroyed by the reforms. The rural way of life was also destroyed. People are rapidly leaving this ejido because of the lack of infrastructure.
- The high cost of electricity is an important concern for ejidatarios.
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